A Fistful of Datas
' |image= |series= |production= 40276-234 |producer(s)= |story= Robert Hewitt Wolfe |script=Robert Hewitt Wolfe and Brannon Braga |director= Patrick Stewart |imdbref=tt0708669 |guests=Brian Bonsall as Alexander Rozhenko, John Pyper-Ferguson as Eli Hollander, Joy Garrett as Annie Meyers, Jorge Cervera, Jr. as Mexican bandito and Majel Barrett as Computer voice |previous_production=Rascals |next_production=The Quality of Life |episode=TNG S06E08 |airdate= 9 November 1992 |previous_release=Rascals |next_release=The Quality of Life |story_date(s)=Stardate 46271.5 |previous_story=Rascals |next_story=The Quality of Life }} Summary The Enterprise has arrived some days early for a rendezvous with a supply ship, USS Biko, and thus the crew spend the time to pursue personal activities. Data and La Forge propose to Captain Picard to attempt to set up systems that would allow them to use Data's processing abilities to run critical systems in the case of main computer failure, and he allows them to proceed. Meanwhile, Worf reluctantly joins his son Alexander in a holodeck adventure set in the town of Deadwood, South Dakota in the American Old West, later joined by Deanna Troi.1 The three play the role of lawmen in Deadwood, where Eli Hollander, the "Butcher of Bozeman", is wanted. Worf tries to use his Starfleet tactics to end the episode quickly, but Alexander insists that he play along with the scenario. They capture Eli, learning that his father Frank is a sly and powerful man. As Data and LaForge work on the interface, a brief energy surge occurs. Shortly after, several crew find the ships systems to reacting strangely, specifically around elements of Data's logs and records. Similarly, Data starts acting strange, taking up a Western vernacular without his awareness. In the holodeck, Worf and Alexander meet Frank, who appears exactly like Data. Later, Frank captures Alexander, demanding the release of his son Eli. Worf gets into a gun battle and is wounded, and he and Troi find that the holodeck safety protocols are off and they cannot end the program. They realize Alexander could be in trouble and the only assured way is to play out the story. Further, Troi observes that Eli now also looks like Data and possesses skills comparable to Data's. As more of the holodeck characters take on Data's appearance, Worf works to create a personal shield as protection, knowing he would not be victorious against characters that all have Data's skills. Data and La Forge determine that the power surge causes segments of the main computer and Data's processes to swap memories, and they start a memory purge to restore both to normal operation. On the holodeck, Worf and Troi successfully defeat Frank and his gang, and recover Alexander. They believe the story is now over, but the holodeck does not yet respond. Only after Miss Annie, one of the dancers from the local tavern and also now looking like Data, thanks Worf for his bravery and throws herself into Worf's arms, does the story end, allowing the three to leave safely. Data and the ship's computer are restored to normal, and Worf promises to join Alexander on the holodeck for another adventure in Deadwood. Errors and Explanations Plot Oversights # Crusher referring to play rehersals starting at one thirty - apparently in the middle of the night! Perhaps most of the cast are, like herself, busy during daytime hours. Equipment Oddities # Troi apparently having a live round in her lever action rifle so soon after shooting Eli's hat away from his head. She probably recocked the lever, thus loading the next round, as soon as she had fired. Nit Central # Aaron Dotter on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 1:01 pm: How come Worf and Troi didn't hunt for the manual controls hidden in a wall or something, like they always do on Voyager? (Bride of Chaotica!, The Killing Game) That could have made things worse. # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Thursday, April 11, 2002 - 5:25 am: How did the Holodeck download Data's voice synthesizer? LUIGI NOVI on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 7:02 pm: The holodeck can syntesize other people's voices on its own. # Shouldn't the Hollander boy sound just like the actor who played him instead of sounding like Data? For that matter, if the problem is just some transposed files from Data's memory, then why do the Holodeck characters look like Data? Does Data have a program in his memory describing what he is supposed to look like? LUIGI NOVI on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 7:02 pm: Perhaps part of Data's files were the files on his own technical specifications? # constanze on Wednesday, August 04, 2004 - 6:12 am: When Frank Hollander goes to see Eli in his jail cell in Act 4, Eli tells him that he doesn’t know who the stranger is, and that she hasn’t mentioned her name. Actually, she mentioned her name, Durango, in Act 2, in the first scene in the jail. Possible anti-nit: When Eli hears the name in Act 2, its still the holodec character before the "problem". In Act 4, however, Data has replaced the holodec characters due to the "problem", so the info about the name may not have been transmitted. ''Darth Sarcasm on Wednesday, August 04, 2004 - 2:43 pm: Another possibility is that Eli actually doesn't know who Durango beyond her name. LUIGI NOVI on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 10:04 am: Then you’re saying he would’ve lost all of his memories that were created up until he gained Data’s appearance and abilities? If that’s the case, why isn’t he wondering what he’s doing in jail? He was in a bar talking with friends before Worf and Alexander showed up. constanze on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 11:05 am: No, Luigi, I wasn't saying that the holo-Eli lost all of his memories, I just suggested that not all information was transmitted, which I think is plausible if due to a screwup as the data files were crossed - which is why Holo-Eli is suddenly replaced with Data-Eli. Category:Episodes Category:The Next Generation